8/5/2018 G.R. No.

147406

THIRD DIVISION

VENANCIO FIGUEROA y G.R. No. 147406

[1]
CERVANTES,
Petitioner, Present:

QUISUMBING, J.,*
YNARES-SANTIAGO,
Chairperson,
- versus - AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ,
NACHURA, and
REYES, JJ.

Promulgated:
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES,
Respondent. July 14, 2008

x------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x

DECISION

NACHURA, J.:

When is a litigant estopped by laches from assailing the jurisdiction of a tribunal? This is
[2]
the paramount issue raised in this petition for review of the February 28, 2001 Decision of the
Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CR No. 22697.

Pertinent are the following antecedent facts and proceedings:

[3]
On July 8, 1994, an information for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide was filed against
[4]
the petitioner before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Bulacan, Branch 18. The case was
[5]
docketed as Criminal Case No. 2235-M-94. Trial on the merits ensued and on August 19, 1998,
[6]
the trial court convicted the petitioner as charged. In his appeal before the CA, the petitioner
[7]
questioned, among others, for the first time, the trial courts jurisdiction.

The appellate court, however, in the challenged decision, considered the petitioner to have
actively participated in the trial and to have belatedly attacked the jurisdiction of the RTC; thus, he
was already estopped by laches from asserting the trial courts lack of jurisdiction. Finding no other
ground to reverse the trial courts decision, the CA affirmed the petitioners conviction but modified
[8]
the penalty imposed and the damages awarded.
Dissatisfied, the petitioner filed the instant petition for review on certiorari raising the
following issues for our resolution:

a. Does the fact that the petitioner failed to raise the issue of jurisdiction during the trial of
this case, which was initiated and filed by the public prosecutor before the wrong court, constitute

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laches in relation to the doctrine laid down in Tijam v. Sibonghanoy, notwithstanding the fact that
said issue was immediately raised in petitioners appeal to the Honorable Court of Appeals?
Conversely, does the active participation of the petitioner in the trial of his case, which is initiated
and filed not by him but by the public prosecutor, amount to estoppel?

b. Does the admission of the petitioner that it is difficult to immediately stop a bus while it is
running at 40 kilometers per hour for the purpose of avoiding a person who unexpectedly crossed
the road, constitute enough incriminating evidence to warrant his conviction for the crime charged?

c. Is the Honorable Court of Appeals justified in considering the place of accident as falling
within Item 4 of Section 35 (b) of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, and subsequently
ruling that the speed limit thereto is only 20 kilometers per hour, when no evidence whatsoever to
that effect was ever presented by the prosecution during the trial of this case?

d. Is the Honorable Court of Appeals justified in convicting the petitioner for homicide
through reckless imprudence (the legally correct designation is reckless imprudence resulting to
homicide) with violation of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code when the prosecution did
not prove this during the trial and, more importantly, the information filed against the petitioner
does not contain an allegation to that effect?

e. Does the uncontroverted testimony of the defense witness Leonardo Hernal that the victim
unexpectedly crossed the road resulting in him getting hit by the bus driven by the petitioner not
[9]
enough evidence to acquit him of the crime charged?

Applied uniformly is the familiar rule that the jurisdiction of the court to hear and decide a
case is conferred by the law in force at the time of the institution of the action, unless such statute
[10]
provides for a retroactive application thereof. In this case, at the time the criminal information
for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide with violation of the Automobile Law (now Land
[11]
Transportation and Traffic Code) was filed, Section 32(2) of Batas Pambansa (B.P.) Blg. 129
[12]
had already been amended by Republic Act No. 7691. The said provision thus reads:

Sec. 32. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts in Criminal Cases.Except in cases falling within the exclusive original
jurisdiction of Regional Trial Courts and the Sandiganbayan, the Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:

xxxx

(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable with imprisonment not
exceeding six (6) years irrespective of the amount of fine, and regardless of other imposable
accessory or other penalties, including the civil liability arising from such offenses or predicated
thereon, irrespective of kind, nature, value or amount thereof: Provided, however, That in offenses
involving damage to property through criminal negligence, they shall have exclusive original
jurisdiction thereof.

As the imposable penalty for the crime charged herein is prision correccional in its medium
[13]
and maximum periods or imprisonment for 2 years, 4 months and 1 day to 6 years, jurisdiction
to hear and try the same is conferred on the Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs). Clearly, therefore, the
RTC of Bulacan does not have jurisdiction over Criminal Case No. 2235-M-94.

While both the appellate court and the Solicitor General acknowledge this fact, they
nevertheless are of the position that the principle of estoppel by laches has already precluded the
petitioner from questioning the jurisdiction of the RTCthe trial went on for 4 years with the
petitioner actively participating therein and without him ever raising the jurisdictional infirmity.
The petitioner, for his part, counters that the lack of jurisdiction of a court over the subject matter

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may be raised at any time even for the first time on appeal. As undue delay is further absent
herein, the principle of laches will not be applicable.

To settle once and for all this problem of jurisdiction vis--vis estoppel by laches, which
continuously confounds the bench and the bar, we shall analyze the various Court decisions on the
matter.

As early as 1901, this Court has declared that unless jurisdiction has been conferred by some
[14]
legislative act, no court or tribunal can act on a matter submitted to it. We went on to state in
[15]
U.S. v. De La Santa that:

It has been frequently held that a lack of jurisdiction over the subject-matter is fatal, and subject to
objection at any stage of the proceedings, either in the court below or on appeal (Ency. of Pl. & Pr.,
vol. 12, p. 189, and large array of cases there cited), and indeed, where the subject-matter is not
within the jurisdiction, the court may dismiss the proceeding ex mero motu. (4 Ill., 133; 190
Ind., 79; Chipman vs. Waterbury, 59 Conn., 496.)

Jurisdiction over the subject-matter in a judicial proceeding is conferred by the sovereign

authority which organizes the court; it is given only by law and in the manner prescribed by law
[16]
and an objection based on the lack of such jurisdiction can not be waived by the parties. x x x

[17]
Later, in People v. Casiano, the Court explained:

4. The operation of the principle of estoppel on the question of jurisdiction seemingly

depends upon whether the lower court actually had jurisdiction or not. If it had no jurisdiction,
but the case was tried and decided upon the theory that it had jurisdiction, the parties are not
barred, on appeal, from assailing such jurisdiction, for the same must exist as a matter of law,
and may not be conferred by consent of the parties or by estoppel (5 C.J.S., 861-863). However, if
the lower court had jurisdiction, and the case was heard and decided upon a given theory, such, for
instance, as that the court had no jurisdiction, the party who induced it to adopt such theory will not
be permitted, on appeal, to assume an inconsistent positionthat the lower court had jurisdiction.
Here, the principle of estoppel applies. The rule that jurisdiction is conferred by law, and does not
depend upon the will of the parties, has no bearing thereon. Thus, Corpus Juris Secundum says:

Where accused has secured a decision that the indictment is void, or has been
granted an instruction based on its defective character directing the jury to acquit, he
is estopped, when subsequently indicted, to assert that the former indictment was
valid. In such case, there may be a new prosecution whether the indictment in the
former prosecution was good or bad. Similarly, where, after the jury was impaneled
and sworn, the court on accused's motion quashed the information on the erroneous
assumption that the court had no jurisdiction, accused cannot successfully plead
former jeopardy to a new information. x x x (22 C.J.S., sec. 252, pp. 388-389; italics
ours.)

Where accused procured a prior conviction to be set aside on the ground that
the court was without jurisdiction, he is estopped subsequently to assert, in support of
a defense of previous jeopardy, that such court had jurisdiction. (22 C.J.S. p. 378.)
[18]

[19]
But in Pindagan Agricultural Co., Inc. v. Dans, the Court, in not sustaining the plea of lack of
jurisdiction by the plaintiff-appellee therein, made the following observations:

It is surprising why it is only now, after the decision has been rendered, that the plaintiff-
appellee presents the question of this Courts jurisdiction over the case. Republic Act No. 2613 was
enacted on August 1, 1959. This case was argued on January 29, 1960. Notwithstanding this fact,
the jurisdiction of this Court was never impugned until the adverse decision of this Court was
handed down. The conduct of counsel leads us to believe that they must have always been of the
belief that notwithstanding said enactment of Republic Act 2613 this Court has jurisdiction of the

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case, such conduct being born out of a conviction that the actual real value of the properties in
question actually exceeds the jurisdictional amount of this Court (over P200,000). Our minute
resolution in G.R. No. L-10096, Hyson Tan, et al. vs. Filipinas Compaa de Seguros, et al., of March
23, 1956, a parallel case, is applicable to the conduct of plaintiff-appellee in this case, thus:

x x x that an appellant who files his brief and submits his case to the Court of
Appeals for decision, without questioning the latters jurisdiction until decision is
rendered therein, should be considered as having voluntarily waived so much of his
claim as would exceed the jurisdiction of said Appellate Court; for the reason that a
contrary rule would encourage the undesirable practice of appellants submitting their
cases for decision to the Court of Appeals in expectation of favorable judgment, but
[20]
with intent of attacking its jurisdiction should the decision be unfavorable: x x x

[21]
Then came our ruling in Tijam v. Sibonghanoy that a party may be barred by laches from
invoking lack of jurisdiction at a late hour for the purpose of annulling everything done in the case
with the active participation of said party invoking the plea. We expounded, thus:

A party may be estopped or barred from raising a question in different ways and for different
reasons. Thus, we speak of estoppel in pais, of estoppel by deed or by record, and of estoppel by
laches.
Laches, in a general sense, is failure or neglect, for an unreasonable and unexplained length
of time, to do that which, by exercising due diligence, could or should have been done earlier; it is
negligence or omission to assert a right within a reasonable time, warranting a presumption that the
party entitled to assert it either has abandoned it or declined to assert it.
The doctrine of laches or of stale demands is based upon grounds of public policy which
requires, for the peace of society, the discouragement of stale claims and, unlike the statute of
limitations, is not a mere question of time but is principally a question of the inequity or unfairness
of permitting a right or claim to be enforced or asserted.

It has been held that a party cannot invoke the jurisdiction of a court to secure affirmative relief
against his opponent and, after obtaining or failing to obtain such relief, repudiate or question that
same jurisdiction (Dean vs. Dean, 136 Or. 694, 86 A.L.R. 79). In the case just cited, by way of
explaining the rule, it was further said that the question whether the court had jurisdiction either of
the subject matter of the action or of the parties was not important in such cases because the party is
barred from such conduct not because the judgment or order of the court is valid and conclusive as
an adjudication, but for the reason that such a practice cannot be toleratedobviously for reasons of
public policy.

Furthermore, it has also been held that after voluntarily submitting a cause and encountering an
adverse decision on the merits, it is too late for the loser to question the jurisdiction or power of the
court (Pease vs. Rathbun-Jones etc., 243 U.S. 273, 61 L. Ed. 715, 37 S.Ct. 283; St. Louis etc. vs.
McBride, 141 U.S. 127, 35 L. Ed. 659). And in Littleton vs. Burgess, 16 Wyo. 58, the Court said
that it is not right for a party who has affirmed and invoked the jurisdiction of a court in a particular
matter to secure an affirmative relief, to afterwards deny that same jurisdiction to escape a penalty.

Upon this same principle is what We said in the three cases mentioned in the resolution of the Court
of Appeals of May 20, 1963 (supra)to the effect that we frown upon the undesirable practice of a
party submitting his case for decision and then accepting the judgment, only if favorable, and
attacking it for lack of jurisdiction, when adverseas well as in Pindagan etc. vs. Dans et al., G.R. L-
14591, September 26, 1962; Montelibano et al. vs. Bacolod-Murcia Milling Co., Inc., G.R. L-
15092; Young Men Labor Union etc. vs. The Court of Industrial Relations et al., G.R. L-20307,
Feb. 26, 1965, and Mejia vs. Lucas, 100 Phil. p. 277.

The facts of this case show that from the time the Surety became a quasi-party on July 31, 1948, it could have
raised the question of the lack of jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance of Cebu to take cognizance of the
present action by reason of the sum of money involved which, according to the law then in force, was within the
original exclusive jurisdiction of inferior courts. It failed to do so. Instead, at several stages of the proceedings in
the court a quo, as well as in the Court of Appeals, it invoked the jurisdiction of said courts to obtain affirmative
relief and submitted its case for a final adjudication on the merits. It was only after an adverse decision was
rendered by the Court of Appeals that it finally woke up to raise the question of jurisdiction. Were we to sanction
such conduct on its part, We would in effect be declaring as useless all the proceedings had in the present case
since it was commenced on July 19, 1948 and compel the judgment creditors to go up their Calvary once more.
[22]
The inequity and unfairness of this is not only patent but revolting.

For quite a time since we made this pronouncement in Sibonghanoy, courts and tribunals, in
resolving issues that involve the belated invocation of lack of jurisdiction, have applied the
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[23]
principle of estoppel by laches. Thus, in Calimlim v. Ramirez, we pointed out that
Sibonghanoy was developing into a general rule rather than the exception:

A rule that had been settled by unquestioned acceptance and upheld in decisions so
numerous to cite is that the jurisdiction of a court over the subject-matter of the action is a matter of
law and may not be conferred by consent or agreement of the parties. The lack of jurisdiction of a
court may be raised at any stage of the proceedings, even on appeal. This doctrine has been
qualified by recent pronouncements which stemmed principally from the ruling in the cited case of
Sibonghanoy. It is to be regretted, however, that the holding in said case had been applied to
situations which were obviously not contemplated therein. The exceptional circumstance involved
in Sibonghanoy which justified the departure from the accepted concept of non-waivability of
objection to jurisdiction has been ignored and, instead a blanket doctrine had been repeatedly
upheld that rendered the supposed ruling in Sibonghanoy not as the exception, but rather the
general rule, virtually overthrowing altogether the time-honored principle that the issue of
jurisdiction is not lost by waiver or by estoppel.

In Sibonghanoy, the defense of lack of jurisdiction of the court that rendered the questioned
ruling was held to be barred by estoppel by laches. It was ruled that the lack of jurisdiction having
been raised for the first time in a motion to dismiss filed almost fifteen (15) years after the
questioned ruling had been rendered, such a plea may no longer be raised for being barred by
laches. As defined in said case, laches is failure or neglect, for an unreasonable and unexplained
length of time, to do that which, by exercising due diligence, could or should have been done
earlier; it is negligence or omission to assert a right within a reasonable time, warranting a
[24]
presumption that the party entitled to assert has abandoned it or declined to assert it.

In Calimlim, despite the fact that the one who benefited from the plea of lack of jurisdiction was
the one who invoked the courts jurisdiction, and who later obtained an adverse judgment therein,
we refused to apply the ruling in Sibonghanoy. The Court accorded supremacy to the time-
honored principle that the issue of jurisdiction is not lost by waiver or by estoppel.

Yet, in subsequent cases decided after Calimlim, which by sheer volume are too plentiful to
mention, the Sibonghanoy doctrine, as foretold in Calimlim, became the rule rather than the
[25]
exception. As such, in Soliven v. Fastforms Philippines, Inc., the Court ruled:

While it is true that jurisdiction may be raised at any time, this rule presupposes that estoppel has
not supervened. In the instant case, respondent actively participated in all stages of the proceedings
before the trial court and invoked its authority by asking for an affirmative relief. Clearly,
respondent is estopped from challenging the trial courts jurisdiction, especially when an adverse
judgment has been rendered. In PNOC Shipping and Transport Corporation vs. Court of Appeals,
we held:

Moreover, we note that petitioner did not question at all the jurisdiction of the lower
court x x x in its answers to both the amended complaint and the second amended
complaint. It did so only in its motion for reconsideration of the decision of the lower
court after it had received an adverse decision. As this Court held in Pantranco North
Express, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals (G.R. No. 105180, July 5, 1993, 224 SCRA 477,
491), participation in all stages of the case before the trial court, that included
invoking its authority in asking for affirmative relief, effectively barred petitioner by
estoppel from challenging the courts jurisdiction. Notably, from the time it filed its
answer to the second amended complaint on April 16, 1985, petitioner did not
question the lower courts jurisdiction. It was only on December 29, 1989 when it
filed its motion for reconsideration of the lower courts decision that petitioner raised
the question of the lower courts lack of jurisdiction. Petitioner thus foreclosed its
right to raise the issue of jurisdiction by its own inaction. (italics ours)

Similarly, in the subsequent case of Sta. Lucia Realty and Development, Inc. vs. Cabrigas, we
ruled:

In the case at bar, it was found by the trial court in its 30 September 1996
decision in LCR Case No. Q-60161(93) that private respondents (who filed the
petition for reconstitution of titles) failed to comply with both sections 12 and 13 of
RA 26 and therefore, it had no jurisdiction over the subject matter of the case.
However, private respondents never questioned the trial courts jurisdiction over its
petition for reconstitution throughout the duration of LCR Case No. Q-60161(93).
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On the contrary, private respondents actively participated in the reconstitution

proceedings by filing pleadings and presenting its evidence. They invoked the trial
courts jurisdiction in order to obtain affirmative relief the reconstitution of their
titles. Private respondents have thus foreclosed their right to raise the issue of
jurisdiction by their own actions.

The Court has constantly upheld the doctrine that while jurisdiction may be
assailed at any stage, a litigants participation in all stages of the case before the trial
court, including the invocation of its authority in asking for affirmative relief, bars
such party from challenging the courts jurisdiction (PNOC Shipping and Transport
Corporation vs. Court of Appeals, 297 SCRA 402 [1998]). A party cannot invoke the
jurisdiction of a court to secure affirmative relief against his opponent and after
obtaining or failing to obtain such relief, repudiate or question that same jurisdiction
(Asset Privatization Trust vs. Court of Appeals, 300 SCRA 579 [1998]; Province of
Bulacan vs. Court of Appeals, 299 SCRA 442 [1998]). The Court frowns upon the
undesirable practice of a party participating in the proceedings and submitting his
case for decision and then accepting judgment, only if favorable, and attacking it for
lack of jurisdiction, when adverse (Producers Bank of the Philippines vs. NLRC, 298
SCRA 517 [1998], citing Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. vs. NLRC, 241 SCRA
[26]
36 [1995]). (italics ours)

[27]
Noteworthy, however, is that, in the 2005 case of Metromedia Times Corporation v. Pastorin,
where the issue of lack of jurisdiction was raised only in the National Labor Relations
Commission (NLRC) on appeal, we stated, after examining the doctrines of jurisdiction vis--vis
estoppel, that the ruling in Sibonghanoy stands as an exception, rather than the general rule.
Metromedia, thus, was not estopped from assailing the jurisdiction of the labor arbiter before the
[28]
NLRC on appeal.

[29]
Later, in Francel Realty Corporation v. Sycip, the Court clarified that:

Petitioner argues that the CAs affirmation of the trial courts dismissal of its case was erroneous,
considering that a full-blown trial had already been conducted. In effect, it contends that lack of
jurisdiction could no longer be used as a ground for dismissal after trial had ensued and ended.
The above argument is anchored on estoppel by laches, which has been used quite
successfully in a number of cases to thwart dismissals based on lack of jurisdiction. Tijam v.
Sibonghanoy, in which this doctrine was espoused, held that a party may be barred from
questioning a courts jurisdiction after being invoked to secure affirmative relief against its
opponent. In fine, laches prevents the issue of lack of jurisdiction from being raised for the first
time on appeal by a litigant whose purpose is to annul everything done in a trial in which it has
actively participated.

Laches is defined as the failure or neglect for an unreasonable and unexplained length of time, to do
that which, by exercising due diligence, could or should have been done earlier; it is negligence or
omission to assert a right within a reasonable time, warranting a presumption that the party entitled
to assert it either has abandoned it or declined to assert it.

The ruling in Sibonghanoy on the matter of jurisdiction is, however, the exception rather than the
rule. Estoppel by laches may be invoked to bar the issue of lack of jurisdiction only in cases in
which the factual milieu is analogous to that in the cited case. In such controversies, laches should
be clearly present; that is, lack of jurisdiction must have been raised so belatedly as to warrant the
presumption that the party entitled to assert it had abandoned or declined to assert it. That
Sibonghanoy applies only to exceptional circumstances is clarified in Calimlim v. Ramirez, which
we quote:

A rule that had been settled by unquestioned acceptance and upheld in decisions so
numerous to cite is that the jurisdiction of a court over the subject-matter of the
action is a matter of law and may not be conferred by consent or agreement of the
parties. The lack of jurisdiction of a court may be raised at any stage of the
proceedings, even on appeal. This doctrine has been qualified by recent
pronouncements which stemmed principally from the ruling in the cited case of
Sibonghanoy. It is to be regretted, however, that the holding in said case had been
applied to situations which were obviously not contemplated therein. The

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exceptional circumstance involved in Sibonghanoy which justified the departure

from the accepted concept of non-waivability of objection to jurisdiction has been
ignored and, instead a blanket doctrine had been repeatedly upheld that rendered the
supposed ruling in Sibonghanoy not as the exception, but rather the general rule,
virtually overthrowing altogether the time-honored principle that the issue of
jurisdiction is not lost by waiver or by estoppel.

Indeed, the general rule remains: a courts lack of jurisdiction may be raised at any stage of the
proceedings, even on appeal. The reason is that jurisdiction is conferred by law, and lack of it
affects the very authority of the court to take cognizance of and to render judgment on the action.
Moreover, jurisdiction is determined by the averments of the complaint, not by the defenses
[30]
contained in the answer.

[31]
Also, in Mangaliag v. Catubig-Pastoral, even if the pleader of lack of jurisdiction actively
took part in the trial proceedings by presenting a witness to seek exoneration, the Court,
reiterating the doctrine in Calimlim, said:

Private respondent argues that the defense of lack of jurisdiction may be waived by estoppel
through active participation in the trial. Such, however, is not the general rule but an exception,
best characterized by the peculiar circumstances in Tijam vs. Sibonghanoy. In Sibonghanoy, the
party invoking lack of jurisdiction did so only after fifteen years and at a stage when the
proceedings had already been elevated to the CA. Sibonghanoy is an exceptional case because of
the presence of laches, which was defined therein as failure or neglect for an unreasonable and
unexplained length of time to do that which, by exercising due diligence, could or should have been
done earlier; it is the negligence or omission to assert a right within a reasonable time, warranting a
[32]
presumption that the party entitled to assert has abandoned it or declined to assert it.

[33]
And in the more recent Regalado v. Go, the Court again emphasized that laches should
be clearly present for the Sibonghanoy doctrine to be applicable, thus:

Laches is defined as the failure or neglect for an unreasonable and unexplained length of
time, to do that which, by exercising due diligence, could or should have been done earlier, it is
negligence or omission to assert a right within a reasonable length of time, warranting a
presumption that the party entitled to assert it either has abandoned it or declined to assert it.
The ruling in People v. Regalario that was based on the landmark doctrine enunciated in
Tijam v. Sibonghanoy on the matter of jurisdiction by estoppel is the exception rather than the rule.
Estoppel by laches may be invoked to bar the issue of lack of jurisdiction only in cases in which the
factual milieu is analogous to that in the cited case. In such controversies, laches should have been
clearly present; that is, lack of jurisdiction must have been raised so belatedly as to warrant the
presumption that the party entitled to assert it had abandoned or declined to assert it.

In Sibonghanoy, the defense of lack of jurisdiction was raised for the first time in a motion
to dismiss filed by the Surety almost 15 years after the questioned ruling had been rendered. At
several stages of the proceedings, in the court a quo as well as in the Court of Appeals, the Surety
invoked the jurisdiction of the said courts to obtain affirmative relief and submitted its case for final
adjudication on the merits. It was only when the adverse decision was rendered by the Court of
Appeals that it finally woke up to raise the question of jurisdiction.

Clearly, the factual settings attendant in Sibonghanoy are not present in the case at bar.
Petitioner Atty. Regalado, after the receipt of the Court of Appeals resolution finding her guilty of
contempt, promptly filed a Motion for Reconsideration assailing the said courts jurisdiction based
on procedural infirmity in initiating the action. Her compliance with the appellate courts directive to
show cause why she should not be cited for contempt and filing a single piece of pleading to that
effect could not be considered as an active participation in the judicial proceedings so as to take the
case within the milieu of Sibonghanoy. Rather, it is the natural fear to disobey the mandate of the
[34]
court that could lead to dire consequences that impelled her to comply.

The Court, thus, wavered on when to apply the exceptional circumstance in Sibonghanoy
and on when to apply the general rule enunciated as early as in De La Santa and expounded at
length in Calimlim. The general rule should, however, be, as it has always been, that the issue of
jurisdiction may be raised at any stage of the proceedings, even on appeal, and is not lost by
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waiver or by estoppel. Estoppel by laches, to bar a litigant from asserting the courts absence or
lack of jurisdiction, only supervenes in exceptional cases similar to the factual milieu of Tijam v.
Sibonghanoy. Indeed, the fact that a person attempts to invoke unauthorized jurisdiction of a court
does not estop him from thereafter challenging its jurisdiction over the subject matter, since such
jurisdiction must arise by law and not by mere consent of the parties. This is especially true where
the person seeking to invoke unauthorized jurisdiction of the court does not thereby secure any
[35]
advantage or the adverse party does not suffer any harm.

Applying the said doctrine to the instant case, the petitioner is in no way estopped by laches in
assailing the jurisdiction of the RTC, considering that he raised the lack thereof in his appeal
before the appellate court. At that time, no considerable period had yet elapsed for laches to attach.
True, delay alone, though unreasonable, will not sustain the defense of estoppel by laches unless it
further appears that the party, knowing his rights, has not sought to enforce them until the
condition of the party pleading laches has in good faith become so changed that he cannot be
restored to his former state, if the rights be then enforced, due to loss of evidence, change of title,
[36]
intervention of equities, and other causes. In applying the principle of estoppel by laches in
the exceptional case of Sibonghanoy, the Court therein considered the patent and revolting
inequity and unfairness of having the judgment creditors go up their Calvary once more after more
[37]
or less 15 years. The same, however, does not obtain in the instant case.

We note at this point that estoppel, being in the nature of a forfeiture, is not favored by law. It is to
be applied rarelyonly from necessity, and only in extraordinary circumstances. The doctrine must
[38]
be applied with great care and the equity must be strong in its favor. When misapplied, the
[39]
doctrine of estoppel may be a most effective weapon for the accomplishment of injustice.
[40]
Moreover, a judgment rendered without jurisdiction over the subject matter is void. Hence, the
Revised Rules of Court provides for remedies in attacking judgments rendered by courts or
tribunals that have no jurisdiction over the concerned cases. No laches will even attach when the
[41]
judgment is null and void for want of jurisdiction. As we have stated in Heirs of Julian Dela
[42]
Cruz and Leonora Talaro v. Heirs of Alberto Cruz,

It is axiomatic that the jurisdiction of a tribunal, including a quasi-judicial officer or

government agency, over the nature and subject matter of a petition or complaint is determined by
the material allegations therein and the character of the relief prayed for, irrespective of whether the
petitioner or complainant is entitled to any or all such reliefs. Jurisdiction over the nature and
subject matter of an action is conferred by the Constitution and the law, and not by the consent or
waiver of the parties where the court otherwise would have no jurisdiction over the nature or
subject matter of the action. Nor can it be acquired through, or waived by, any act or omission of
the parties. Moreover, estoppel does not apply to confer jurisdiction to a tribunal that has none
over the cause of action. x x x

Indeed, the jurisdiction of the court or tribunal is not affected by the defenses or theories set
up by the defendant or respondent in his answer or motion to dismiss. Jurisdiction should be
determined by considering not only the status or the relationship of the parties but also the nature of
the issues or questions that is the subject of the controversy. x x x x The proceedings before a court
or tribunal without jurisdiction, including its decision, are null and void, hence, susceptible to direct
[43]
and collateral attacks.

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8/5/2018 G.R. No. 147406

With the above considerations, we find it unnecessary to resolve the other issues raised in the
petition.

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the petition for review on certiorari is GRANTED.

Criminal Case No. 2235-M-94 is hereby DISMISSED without prejudice.

SO ORDERED.

ANTONIO EDUARDO B. NACHURA

Associate Justice

WE CONCUR:

LEONARDO A. QUISUMBING
Associate Justice

CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGO MA. ALICIA AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ

Associate Justice Associate Justice
Chairperson

RUBEN T. REYES
Associate Justice

AT T E S T A T I O N

I attest that the conclusions in the above decision were reached in consultation before the
case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Courts Division.

CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGO
Associate Justice
Chairperson, Third Division

CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Article VIII, Section 13 of the Constitution, and the Division Chairperson's
Attestation, I certify that the conclusions in the above decision were reached in consultation before
the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Court.

REYNATO S. PUNO
Chief Justice

[1]
In the records, Venancio is also spelled as Vinancio.
* In lieu of Associate Justice Minita V. Chico-Nazario per Special Order No. 508, dated June 25, 2008.
[2]
Penned by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales (now an Associate Justice of this Court), with Associate Justices Candido V.
Rivera and Rebecca de Guia-Salvador concurring; rollo, pp. 23-31.

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